About the exportObjects and importObjects Commands
To copy WorldServer configurations from one server to another, use the exportObjects and importObjects commands of the wstool utility. The copying happens in two steps:
- To copy a configuration from a server, you export objects to an XML file, using the command
wstool exportObjects - To copy a configuration to a server, you import the XML file that contains the objects that you exported, using the command
wstool importObjects
Additional Concepts
To use the wstool utility, it helps to understand these additional concepts:
- Primary object – The WorldServer object that you, the administrator, select to export. A primary object is a top-level object that you specifically choose (for example, a workflow, a user, or a workgroup).
- Referenced object (dependencies) – A top-level WorldServer object that is exported because it is referenced by another primary object. For example, if you choose to export a user object which belongs to a particular locale, the locale is exported as a Referenced object.
Supported Features
The wstool utility supports export of the following WorldServer objects:
- All supported objects
- A specific class of object (for example, workflows)
- One or more specific objects
You can export the objects referenced by the specified objects.
At a higher level, the export process proceeds as follows:
- It writes primary objects to a file. (This file must not exist before the export starts.)
- It logs informational messages to the standard output as the export progresses.
- It displays a summary of primary objects at the end.
The wstool utility supports the import of objects contained in an XML file that was generated by the export utility. You can import:
- Primary objects only
- Primary objects plus missing Referenced objects
- All objects (Exported and Referenced) in the file
At a high level, the import process works as follows:
- It commits transactions at the end of the import, so either the entire import succeeds or it fails entirely. You cannot perform a partial import.
- It generates a log file containing information and error messages printed to the standard output.
- It prints a summary of the work and the final status at the end.
Requirements and Restrictions
When working with the wstool utility export and import commands, keep in mind the following requirements and restrictions:
- Run the export command on the server from which you want to export objects. Run the import command on the server into which you want to import the objects.
- You cannot export objects from one major WorldServer version and import them into another. You can export and import objects within major versions only. For example, you cannot export an object from WorldServer 9.0.2 and import it into WorldServer 9.4.
- No graphical user interface is provided currently. Everything is done using a command line interface utility.
- The export and import commands can be used across platforms and across databases. Objects can be exchanged between WorldServer installations running on Windows or on Linux and using Oracle or SQL Server databases.
- The utility is intended for copying objects selectively among systems. It is not intended to serve as a backup solution or to migrate an entire database across the WorldServer installations.
- The utility is not intended for performing upgrades from earlier WorldServer systems to newer systems. For those purposes, SDL provides upgrade scripts.
- The utility is intended for transporting configuration objects such as users, locales, and workflows. It is not intended for transporting transactional objects such as projects, tasks or assets.
- The utility is not intended to migrate uploadable custom components. These need to be migrated separately using the standard WorldServer custom object upload mechanism.